Evaluation of brain infiltrating T cells in KO mice infected with West Nile virus

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24790457
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Virology
• Research Institution: Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, National Hospital Organization, Sagamihara National Hospital
• Principal Investigator: KITAURA Kazutaka 独立行政法人国立病院機構(相模原病院臨床研究センター), 診断治療研究室, 研究員 (00518136)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: フラビウイルス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We identified brain-infiltrating T cells associated with a fatal outcome of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection in mice. Two groups of five mice were randomly selected from the dying and surviving groups and used in the analyses. Cytokine patterns in brains were first examined, revealing a higher ratio of Th1-related cytokine genes in dying mice. The expression levels of CD3, CD8, CD25, and CD69 increased in JEV-infected mice relative to mock-infected mice. T-cell receptor (TCR) usage and complementary determining region 3 (CDR3) sequences were analyzed in the brain-infiltrating T cells. T cells expressing VA8-1, VA10-1, and VB2-1 increased in both groups. However, the dominant T-cell clones as defined by CDR3 amino acid sequence differed between the two groups. The results indicate that the outcome of JEV infection, death or survival, was determined by qualitative differences in infiltrating T-cell clones with unique CDR3 amino acid sequences.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学